Gas sampling device



Dec. 28, 1948.

w. K. NEUMAN ETAL 2,457,707

I GAS SAMPLING DEVICE Filed Sept. 9, 1944 I art UM! HM 5 Z 055 e 9:9fl/euman.

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Patented Dee. 1948 GAS SAMPLING DEVICE Wilbur K. Neuman, Skokle, 111.,and Harry M. Slosberg, Ames, Iowa, nul -nor: to Continental Can Company.Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporavs tlon of New York ApplicationSeptember 9, 1944, Serial No. 553,412

- 6 Claims. 1

It is frequently desirable, for example with containers having fillingsof food products, to obtain samples of the gas content of the container,preliminary to analysis or other test.

The present invention is concerned with a device by which such samplesmay be quickly and conveniently obtained.

One of the features of the device is the provision of a structureincluding parts for presenting a piercing and sampling tool to a wall ofa container, together with means for moving the tool and therebypiercing the container wall.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a tool which may beemployed upon containers of different sizes, without requiring extensiveadjustment of parts preliminary to the sampling operation.

- A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a devicein which means are included for assuring the sample from'loss qradulteration during its removal from the strucj ture undergoing test.

With these and other features as objects in view, as will appear in thecourse of the following description and claims, an illustrative form ofpracticing the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a general assembly view, showing the employment of thedevice.

Figure 2 is an upright section through the device as employed upon a tincan, with parts broken away for clearness of disclosure.

Figure 3 is a section of parts of the device shown in Fig. 2, on line3-3 thereof.

Figure 4 illustrates an adjusting wrench or tool.

In these drawings, the device is illustrated as employed with a tin canC which has a double seam s at its upper end, this seam projectingradially beyond the body wall. a x

The device has a frame F which can be held immovable with respect to thecontainer C, and a plunger P which can be guidedly moved toward a wallof the container C so that a hollow piercing needle N is forced throughthis container wall for extracting the sample. A seal R of rubber orsimilar resilient material surrounds the needle N and is engaged withthe container wall as a preliminary to the piercing operation, so thatit provides a packing against escape of gas from the container, orpenetration of the atmosphere to thecontainer, except as permittedthrough the passageway of the needle N. The plunger P is connected by aflexible conduit such as a groove between the portions rubber hoseI-Iwith a vessel B which forms part of the analytic apparatus itself bybeing one of the usual reagent vessels or a sampling flask.

More specifically, the illustrative form of Fig. 2 has a frame Fprovided with a leg l0 having a rubber cushion pad ll secured near itslower end. An abutment piece l2 can be engaged with the upper or endwall l3 of the container C, inside of the peripheral double seam S. Aneccentric i'i has a journal portion l6 mounted in the leg llforrotation, and also has an outer end i1 provided with a diametrical kerf.A

l6, l1 receives a key piece It which is retained by a screw l8 threadedinto the leg Hi; this key piece being effective; to prevent axialmovement of the ec- ,centric i5. It is preferred to provide a centralaxial bore in the eccentric asembly I 5-41 for the pilot 20 of a wrenchW, Fig. 4, which has a dlametrical bit 2| for engagement in the kerf inthe end l1, so that this removable wrench may be employed for rotatingthe eccentric I5, Obviously, an ordinary screw driver may also be used,but the special tool is preferred to avoid accidental slippage from thekerf and possible damage to the side of the can.

The upper portion 25 of the frame F extends over the container C, in theillustrated form, and has a bushing 26 secured therein to form a guidefor axial sliding movement of the plunger P. This plunger P is formedexternally with a thread 21 of coarse pitch, as for example a squarethread, and preferably having a relatively wide land at the outerperiphery, for guided movement in the bushing 26 and to avoid lockingwith turns of the surrounding spring 34. A nut 28 is threadedly engagedwith the thread 21, and can be rotated even when the device is tightlyseated on the can end, by engaging the spanner pin 29 of the wrench(Fig. 4) in the peripheral holes provided. A screw 40 is pased throughthe frame, the bushing 26, and into a longitudinal groove of the plungerP, to prevent rotation of the plunger while turning the nut 28.

The plunger P has a central passage 30 from end to end. At the lower endof the plunger, it has a threaded cavity 3| into which the hollow needleN may be introduced. This hollow needle N is illustrated as formedintegrally with a knurled collar 32 which is recessed to receive theresilient sealing ring Q; and preferably has a slightly tapered formleading to an oblique piercing end. The sealing member R is illustratedas a cylinder having a central bore smaller than the needle and of aresilient rubbery com,

position which is resistant to deterioration by the action of thecontents of the container C, and in unstressed condition projects beyondthe needle.

Near the upper end of the plunger P is provided a'flange 33 againstwhich bears a spiral coil spring 34 whose enlarged lower end engages theframe F, illustratively surrounding the bushing 26. It will be notedthat the pitch angle of this spring is preferably opposite to the pitchangle of the thread 21, to avoid interlocking. The upper end of theplunger P is provided with a corrugated nipple 35 for the hoseconnection H.

In use, when it is desired to take a sample of gas from the container C,the eccentric i is rotated into a free position, and the nut 28 is movedto a position near the needle end of the plunger P, this plunger beingretracted by the spring 34.

The frame F is then presented over the container C so that the abutmentl2 engages the end wall of the container, and the cushion pad ll restsagainst the side of the container. The eccentric i5 is then rotated bythe wrench W until it engages beneath the double seam S of thecontainer, and thus firmly clamps the frame F in position by the opposedengagements of the abutment i2 and the eccentric It. It will be notedthat the abutment i2 is essentially engaged with the inner surface ofthe axially projecting part of the double seam, so that relativemovement of the frame F away from the axis of the container C isavoided.

The nut 28 is then rotated by hand and by the wrench W. The plunger P isthus moved downward, into the position of parts as shown in Fig. 2,until the sealing member R engages the outer surface of the end wall l3of the container. Continued rotation of the nut 28 causes the plunger Pto compress the sealing member R and also to cause the piercing needleor point N to penetrate through this wall l3. When this penetration hasoccurred, the gas within the container C is free to move throughthehollow needle N and the passage 30 to the testing apparatus. At thistime, the sealing member It prevents contamination or escape of thisgas.

Thus, the sampling bottle B, the hose H and the bore 30 down to the tipof the needle N may be previously filled with an inert displacementliquid, which is expelled by the gas sample and therewith nocontamination by air in these parts results. Similarly, the hose H maybe connected directly to an Orsat apparatus for analyzing ases.

The apparatus can be quickly removed from the container by turning theeccentric l5 and thus freeing it from the double seam S.

When a number of containers are to. be tested, it is merely necessary toturn the nut 28 backwardly a sufiicient distance so that the needle iswithdrawn and the sealing member R is ready for engagement with the endwall [3 of a further container, and then the seating, piercing andsampling operations are accomplished on the second container, and so on.

It will be noted that the illustrated construc-, tion permits employmenton containers of different sizes and shapes without major adjustment,that the piercing needle N may be removed and replaced when worn orbroken, and that. the passage 30 and the passage in the needle or pointpin are in alignment so that the structure may be easily cleaned in theevent of soiling. It will further be understood that the illustrativeform is not restrictive, and that the invention may be employed in manyways within the scope of the appended claims.

' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A gas sampling device for containers comprising a frame having meansfor securing the same against movement in one direction relative to acontainer, a hollow plunger movable in said frame and having meanswhereby the same may be connected to a gas-receiving device and alsohaving a hollow piercing point at its end, a gasrecelving deviceconnected to said connection means, means engaged with the frame andplunger and effective whenthe frame has been secured to a container tocause the plunger to move its point in the opposite direction andthrough a wall of the container, and a resilient sealing membersurrounding and closely embracing the point and in unstressed conditionextending beyond the point and operative upon said movement of theplunger to establish a seal around the point and against the can wallprior to penetration of the can wall whereby communication from theinterior of the pierced container is limited to the passage through saidhollow point.

2. A gas sampling device for containers comprising a frame having meansfor clamping to a container and including a guide, a hollow plungermovable along said guide toward and from a wall of the container andhaving means at one end for connection to a gas-receiving device, agas-receiving device connected to said connection means, a hollowpiercing point at the other end of the plunger, means engaged with theframe and plunger to move the plunger along the guide and force thepoint through a wall of the container, and a resilent sealing membersurrounding and closely embracing the point and in unstressed conditionextending beyond the point and effective to establish a seal around thepoint and against the can wall prior to penetration of the can wallwhereby communication from the interior of the pierced container islimited to the passage through said hollow point.

3. A gas sampling device for containers comprising a frame having a stopengageable with an end wall and with the inner surface of a double seamof a container, a rotatable eccentric on the frame efiective uponrotation to engage the double seam of the container and clamp the sameagainst said stop, said frame including a guide, a hollow plungermovable along said guide toward and from said end wall of the containerand having means at one end whereby the same may be connected to agas-receiving device, a gasreceiving device connected to said connectionmeans, a hollow piercing point on the other end of the plunger, meansengaged with and movable relative to the frame and plunger to move thesame and force the point through a wall of the container, said frameincluding an abutment part for engagement with the container at a pointspacedfrom said stop and from said point whereby to assist the frame toresist movement responsive to the forces operative during said forcing,and a resilient sealing member surrounding and closely embracing saidpoint and eflective to establish a seal prior to penetration of the canwall whereby communication from the interior of the pierced container islimited to the passage through said hollow point. I

4. A gas sampling device for containers comprising a frame. having meansfor clamping to a through avail of the container, and a-se'alin 5container and including a hollowguide portion, a hollow threaded plungerslidable in said guide and having means at one end'whereby the samernaybe connected to a gas-receiving device, .a gasreceiving device connectedto said j connection means, a hollow piercing point'on thelbtheiigend ofthe plunger, a threaded nut engaged'jwith'said means connected with partfor detachably connecting the bracket to plunger and engageable withsaid fra'm rotation whereby to cause the plunger-t toward the containerand force said hollowpoint member carried by the plunger and surroundinand'closely embracing the point'and in unstressed condition extendingbeyond the point and effective to establish a seal around the po'int andagainst the can wall prior to penetration of the can wall between theplunger and the container wall whereby communication from the interioroi the pierced container is limited'to the passage through said hollowpoint.

5. A gas sampling device for a container havand one end, comprising aframe having arms evethe can, said bracket havin an extension which inthe connected position of the bracket is located over the can endadjacent the said seam, a threaded plunger carried by the bracketextension, an elastic sealing member connected at the end of the plungerand positioned between the bracket extension and the saidcan end, apiercing element connected to the plunger and located within the sealingmember in the unstressed condition of the sealing member, a threaded 1member cooperative with the threaded plunger and reacting against saidbracket extension for moving the sealing member into sealing engagementwith the can end and thereafter forcing the I piercing element throughthe can end-while extending from the double seam along' body and endwalls of the container, an abutment piece at the end of one of said armsfor engaging a said wall at a point remote from the double seam,

clampingmeans at an intermediate part of the length of the frame forsecuring the device to the double seam, hollow piercing means guided bythe other arm and havingmeans whereby, the

same may be connected to a gas-receiving device, .a gas-receiving deviceconnected to said connection; means, means engageable with the other armand with the piercing means for actuat ing the latter to pierce a wallof the container when said frame has been clamped to the container, anda resilient sealing. member surrounding and closely embracing said pointand effective to establish a seal prior to penetration of the can wallwhereby communication from the interior of the pierced container islimited to the passage through said hollow point. 6. A gas-samplingdevice for perforating the end of a sealed can and sampling a gas in theheadspace thereof without contamination from the atmosphere, comprisinga bracket having a part to be positioned along a side of the can,

stressing the sealing member, and a gas receiv- 6 ing device attached tothe other end of the 'inga double seam at the Junction of its body Iplunger, said piercing element and plunger being provided with apassageway therethrough for providing a sealed'communication between theinterior of the pierced can and said gas receiving device.

WILBUR K. NEUMAN.

-HARRY M. SIDSBERG.

' REFERENCES crrm) The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED s'm'rns PA'IENTS the bracket for gripping an end seam of the canand includinga movable

